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Brainpower: Absorb Slowly

We're encouraged to read fast. Those kids who zipped through the SAT got 4 years at palaces such as Princeton and Duke. But the best way to focus more effectively is to slow down.

If you have some reading to do, make time for two passes. "The first read is to absorb the general themes," says Barry Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurology and cognitive science at Johns Hopkins Medical School and the author of Intelligent Memory. "Once you have those organizers in your head, you'll be able to store more details from the second pass."

Think of making memories as a weaving process, suggests Dr. Gordon. "The more threads of cross-connections, the more context you can create for a memory, so the more durable it will be," he says.

Slowing down can also boost creativity. Dr. Gordon cites a famous film of Jackson Pollock at work, specifically moments when the artist pauses, seemingly to assess what he has done and to allow himself the time to "see" differently.